Factors associated with health literacy and self-care behaviors among Iranian diabetic patients: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common health problems. Self-care behaviors are very important for managing diabetes and significantly affected by patient's health literacy. The aim of this study was designed to determine the associated factors with health literacy and self-care behaviors among Iranian diabetic patients.

Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, the total of 131 diabetic patients who referred to the Tuyserkan diabetes clinic (in the west of Iran) was recruited by census sampling method in 2014. The data were collected using self-care scale of Toobert and Glasgow and health literacy questionnaire of adults function. To investigate demographic and the underlying information of patients, pre-designed check-lists based on forms of patients’ care records were used. After collection, data analysis was performed using the software SPSS 16.

Results: Self-care and education level, employment status, type of treatment, and body mass index were significantly correlated, the self-care behaviors in terms of the diet, physical activity, blood glucose testing, and foot care were significantly associate with together. Most patients had inadequate health literacy (73.3%) and there was no significant relationship between health literacy and self-care performances. Results indicated that the self-care behaviors in diabetic patients and health literacy status are not in satisfactory level.

Conclusion and recommendations: However, diabetic patients, require proper knowledge and attitude of self-care performance to control and manage their disease successfully. In this regard, health promotion programs can pay more attention to self-care and health literacy to people with diabetes.

Keywords:

• Behavior
• Diabetes
• Health literacy
• Self-care

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Funding This project has been funded by the Vice-Chancellor of Research and Technology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences.

Conflicts of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. The authors did not have any personal conflict in research results.

Ethical approval This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the author. This project has been approved by the Vice-Chancellor of Research and Technology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences (research project reference number: 9309114401).

Acknowledgement

The authors appreciate Tuyserkan city health center staff's cooperation helping researchers for data collection.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Babak Moeini

Babak Moeini, PhD Health Education, Associate Professor, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

Saeedeh Haji Maghsodi

Saeedeh Haji Maghsodi, MSc, PhD Student of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

Mehdi Kangavari

Mehdi Kangavari, MSc of Occupational Health, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Maryam Afshari

Maryam Afshari, MSc, PhD Student Health Education and Health Promotion, Students Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

Javad Zavar Chahar Tagh

Javad Zavar Chahar Tagh, BSc of Public Health, Health Center of Tuyserkan, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Hamadan, Iran.